Perth Afterwork & what to do on a business trip

I spent a few days and a week-end in Perth during a long business trip – so what to do to get out of this hotel room? Here are a couple of weekdays – Perth afterwork short activities suggestions.

Starting point: Tribe Perth Kings Park Hotel

The Tribe hotel was recommended by a colleague who has been in Perth on numerous occasions and indeed it’s an affordable and comfortable option in a quiet part of town (but let’s be honest Perth IS quiet!). I like it because it’s relatively small, feels private with small comfortable rooms that have what you need for work. And it has some convenient cafeteria like take-away options when you have been caught not eating early enough for Perth’s standard. Australians in Perth eat so early some restaurants stop serving by 20h30 and we got asked to hurry up once with a colleague by 21h00! For a French like me who likes to talk hours while eating, it took some adjustments…

Tips: the luggage storage is UNDER the bed! (yes, it took me while to found it out…)

Perth afterwork short activities:

The 30 – 40 min walks

Need a breather before attacking that “second day of work” & catching up on your emails? You could eat very early (like the locals) or have a nice short walk. The hotel is along the King’s park, which is huge! There is the beautiful up hill part but there is an entrance to small back section with a little bit grass to sit on. And this entrance is almost across the entrance of the hotel.

This loop would take 30min, with a nice 10min contemplation sitting on the grass to enjoy the sun & a little bit of music to unwind.

This second loop is a little longer, and if you do it in the evening, you have the beautiful view of the neons on the Quay & the colorful bridge. There are a couple of restaurants at the bottom of the office buildings nearby & also around the Quay. You should consider 45min on top of the time that you will take to eat.

The 2 hours walk

This is one I did because I was staying over the week-end, and it was awesome to do it around 4 pm to have a beautiful late afternoon light. It was a pleasant early summer day, and there are loads of benches and grass to lay around and relax would you have a longer time to spare. I did the whole long route and sit down in few places to enjoy some peace and quiet. It took me a good 2 hours.

There is a part of the park which is called Kings Park’s Place of Reflection site. The benches there are and overall atmosphere is great for some meditation and quiet.

Perth afterwork daytrips or weekend activities:

Well then there is always the time when on a long business travel trip, you have to stay in one place for the week-end?
Perth as some good day trips to offer. I had done some research as I was to stay there on a Saturday before flying off to my next business trip destination on Sunday, so here are some suggestions:

• Fremantle neighborhood. Can be accessed by the train & buses. Loads of data on wikitravel.
• Rottner island – home of the Quokka ! You could rent a bicycle there and spend a day in summer lazy-ing on the beach. A little pricier excursion (with the ferry and all) but on the ferry website there are packages with boat+bicycle.
• Swan valley wineries. Ok you need a car to get there – so be careful while driving. It’s nice and easy, a late start could have you have lunch at one of the wineries (I tried Sandalford and like it) then pass by the Swan valley chocolate factory for then a return back to the city. If you had a whole week-end spending it in Margaret river area would be also a viable option. For more options around swan valley, this website is very comprehensive.
• And what I did, is diving! Easy shore dives are available as well as trip around Rottnest island, if you are lucky you can join a group so it’s not (too) expensive – I booked a local private guide, as I was the only one diving, and had a great time. Although the water temperature where freezing cold for what I am used to. I learned my lesson, no more than 2 dives, I couldn’t warm up at all ! We saw a sea dragon at rockimham day, and small seahorses, nudis and small critters on the other dive site under the cereal jetty. 

Enjoy your business trip in Perth – it’s laid back and a quite pleasant city to hang out. Definitely one of the better places to get stuck between business trip!